(Vascular Solutions of North Carolina) Dr. Siddhartha (Sid) Rao, founder of Amputation Prevention Center of North Carolina and Vascular Solutions of North Carolina, is an interventional cardiologist whose clinical practice includes care of patients with advanced peripheral artery disease (PAD), venous disease (deep venous thrombosis/DVT and varicose veins). He has dedicated a majority of his professional time to the care of his patients with limb and life threatening PAD performing and pioneering minimally invasive techniques like “primary pedal” procedures (that significantly reduce the risk of complications and greatly reduce recovery time after angioplasty/stent procedures) and limb-saving deep vein arterializations for North Carolina residents, who are otherwise offered only major lower extremity amputations.
His work in establishing a limb salvage program led to recognition of his practice site as a Center of Excellence in the quarterly publication of CLI Global. Dr. Rao is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology and vascular ultrasound. He is a registered physician in vascular interpretation (RPVI) and also recognized by the American Board of Vascular Medicine Diplomates in vascular medicine and endovascular medicine. Dr. Rao has served as faculty at multiple national and international educational meetings like AMP, NCVH and LINC Mount Sinai. He’s involved in multiple PAD clinical trials. Dr. Rao has published articles in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, CLI Global Society Journal, Journal of Invasive Cardiology, Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology and Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology (PACE).
He graduated from one of the most competitive medical schools in India – JIPMER, Pondicherry in 1998 with honors. He served as chief medical resident from 2003-2004 after finishing a 3-year internal medicine residency at Wayne State University. After working as an internist in an underserved area in Wake County, NC for four years, he finished a 3-year cardiology fellowship and then a 1-year interventional cardiology fellowship at UNC, Chapel Hill. Subsequently, he obtained additional training in interventional vascular procedures at Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA and Prairie Cardiovascular, Springfield, IL. Dr. Rao and his wife have made North Carolina their home since 2004. He’s a fitness enthusiast and in his spare time, he indulges in biking and weight training.
